Galway angler wins Lough Mask World Cup Wetfly Championships

A total of 473 anglers took part in the 60th annual World Cup wetfly championships on Lough Mask with anglers enjoying changeable weather conditions during the 5-day event.

This year’s winner was Eugene McCarthy from Galway with a final day catch of 2 trout for 7.20lbs. He is pictured above with his trophy and with his prize of a new boat and engine.

Eugene’s heaviest fish was a cracking trout of 5.27lbs. Unfortunately for Eugene, he could not claim the heaviest fish prize as he was the overall winner and the competition rules state that persons in the top 3 prize winners do not qualify for the heaviest fish prize.

This year’s heaviest fish winner was P.D. Gilsenan from Co Cavan, with a trout of 3.31lbs.

Second place overall went to John Moroney from Ennis, with 4 fish for 4.84lbs. Third place went to Brian McInerney, also from Ennis, with 3 trout for 3.99lbs. The best under-21 angler was David O’Connor Jr. from Ballinrobe with 3 fish for 3.75lbs. The top lady angler over the competition was Madeleine Kelly (Ulster) with 3 trout for 3.21lbs. The winning boatman on the final day was Brian Joyce from Derry Park Lodge, Finny.

Thursday’s heat winner was Simon Tarpey (Connacht) with 3 fish for 4.09lbs. Friday’s heat winner was Nicholas Hanley (Connacht) with 5 trout for 10.60lbs. Saturday’s heat winner was Ulster angler Dermot Brewster with 4 fish for 5.42lbs, and Sunday was John O’Malley (Connacht) with 2 fish for 5.64lbs. The best boatman over the competition was well-known boatman/angler Patrick Molloy from Oughterard, who brought in 11 trout for 22.14lbs.

Joe Cusack (second on left) presents Eugene McCarthy with the trophy for winning the World Cup Trout Flyfishing Championship on Lough Mask. Also in the photo are Paul Duffy and John Paddy Burke, who sponsored the main prizes, and the winning boatman, Brian Joyce. Photo: Kevin Crowley